Leaders, don’t be afraid to talk about your fears and anxieties

Published in: Harvard Business Review — 18 August 2021

Written by

Lauren Howe, Jochen Menges and John Monks

Summary

What we found: We all struggle sometimes with anxiety, fears, or other draining emotions. Handling these challenging feelings can be particularly tough for those who are supposed to support and guide others during these challenging times – the leaders. We found that the most successful leaders are not the ones who focus only on the positive, or who ignore emotions at all, but who share their own negative emotions with their employees.

Why it matters: Becoming a sharer is often not that easy, as leaders often think that admitting negative emotions could be a sign of weakness. But sharing is often the opposite of weakness, as it helps leaders not only in building empathy with their employees but also in boosting organizational performance. 

What next: Instead of keeping negative emotions out of the room, leaders should seek opportunities to share not only the positive but also the challenging feelings with their employees. By becoming a sharer, leaders support employees to cope with their own emotions more effectively and therefore, create also more high-performing teams.